Retractable ramp for railway crossings



4 Sheets-Sheet l 'A TTORNEY Aug. l, 1939. w. E. cHRlsTlE Er Al.

RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July l5, 1938 WMM.

ma MM.

...III Iullllhh All@ l, 1939 w. E. cHms'rlE azz-Al. '2,168,061

' RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY cRossIuGs 4 sheetssheet 2 INVEN'TORJ.

@gw ATTORNEY n u 8 f A I .MX u, s MF w u J d 5 m 6 l F e H Aug. 1, 1939.

W. E. CHRISTIE El' AL RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1m/mmm.

ATTURNEY l18 1,`1939- w. E. CHRISTIE Erm. 2,168,061

RETRACTABLE RAMP FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July 13, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS.

BY @fr Mdm..

A TTORNEY 1K5 freight sheds or stations;

Patented Aug. 1, 1939 RETRACTABLE RAlWP FOR.y RAILWAY CROSSINGS WalterEric Christie, Oakland, and Otto Schroeder, San Francisco, Calif.,assignors to Soule Steel Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporationof California Application July 13, 1938, Serial No. 219,008

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a ramp for use in transferring freight from afreight shed or station on one side of a trackway to a shed or stationon the opposite side, and particularly to a 5 ramp which may be readilyextended for use when freight is to be transferred across the tracks andjust as readily retracted when the tracks are to be cleared for thepassage of trains.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifytheV construction and operation of ramps of the character described; toprovide a wheel-supported ramp consisting of two or more platform carswhich are normally retracted and housed beneath the platforms of toprovide a ramp which is divided into two sections, one being housedbeneath the platform of the station on one side of the trackway, and theother section being housed'beneath the platform of the station 2O on theopposite side of the trackway; to provide means for extending the twosections of the ramp simultaneously or independently of each other fromopposite sides of the trackway; to provide means for automaticallystopping movement of the two sections of the ramp when they meet in themiddle of the trackway; to provide means for securing each sectionagainst retraction when extended; to provide means for raising the endsof the ramp adjacent each platform up to platform level; to form a rampwith a gentle slope at each end; and further, to provide an extensibleand retractable ramphof the character described which is electricallyoperated and switch-controlled in such a manner that a certain sequenceof operation must be followed to insure operation, that is, if a mistakeis made by operating a wrong switch, that switch will bedead and damageto the mechanism will be prevented.

YThe ramp is shown'by way of illustration in the 40 accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a trackway and thefreight or station sheds disposed on opposite sides thereof, said Viewshowing the ramp extended across the trackway to permit transfer offreight from one shed to another;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of one of the main line tracks, saidView showing the ramp track in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section of the ramp track, said View showingone of the main lin tracks in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation partially in e section, said viewshowing the rear end of one of the driving cars,` the outer end of thetunnel and the pit in which the screw jack mechanism is mounted;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in side elevation and partially in section ofthe latch which prevents rebound of the ramp cars when fully extended; 5

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line VII- VII 0f Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of a portion of the tunnel and one or moreo f the cars forming the ramp, the walls of the tunnel and portions ofthe 10 mechanism being shown in section; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuits, the drivingmotors and the switches actuating the same.

Referringto the drawings in detaiLand par- 15 ticularly to Fig. 1, Aindicates a trackway over which passenger and freight traffic iscarried. On opposite sides of the trackway are located freight sheds orstations such as indicated at B and C, and formed under the platformsare their respec- 20 tive sheds and tunnels a and b. Extending acrossthe trackway and through-'the tunnels are a pair of rails 2 and 3 whichform a track for the support of a suitable number of platform carsgenerally indicated at 4, 5, 6 and l. These cars form 25 a ramp which isdivided into two sections, one section consisting of cars 4 and 5 whichare coupledas at 8 and are adapted to be housed in the tunnel a, and theother section consisting of cars 6 and 1 which are coupled as at Sandwhich are 30 adapted to be housed in the tunnel U.

The cars `4 and 1 of each section are drivers,

las each is provided with an electric motor I0 which drives the rearwheels I l through a reducz tion gear drive i2 and a sprocket chain andsprockets I4 (see Fig. 5). Each driving car is provided with a springactuated reel which automatically'pays out or re-reels a currentsupplying cable l5 as the cars are extended or retracted with relationto the tunnels. YThis power 40 supplying cable is permanently securedthrough an outlet to a switch, hereinafter to be described, at its innerend, and the outer end of the cable is suitably connected with the motorl0 so` as to 45 supply Ypower thereto Whenever the switch is operated. Apositive drive is formed between the wheels H and the rails 2 and, 3 toprevent slippage, this beingaccomplished by forming teeth on both therails and the driving wheels, as indi- '50 cated at 2a and Ilarespectively. The toothed portions on the rails need extend only ash'ort distance outside the tunnels, as the rear or inner ends of thedriving cars, when fully extended, Will be substantially'flush with theexterior sides 55 of the station platforms, as will hereinafter ap-Dear.

The portions of the rails 2 and 3 which extend across the trackway maybe of any suitable construction. As here shown (see Figs. 3 and fi) theyconsist of a flat plate I6 with a central half-round raised head or railportion I1 for the wheels to ride upon. This construction is desirable,as the wheels on the cars are provided with double or spaced flanges I8to prevent the wheels of the cars from climbing or running o the rails 2and 3. The plates I5 are held by screws i9 to plates 2li, which in turnare held against a concrete base by bolts 2l anchored therein. This isdesirable as it permits removal of the ramp rails and replace ment ofthe same from time to time without tearing up the road bed. The platesi6 and the head or rail portion Il formed thereon are cut away asindicated at 22 wherever the main line rails A are crossed, thus leavingthe rails which carry the freight and passenger traffic free andunobstructed at all times.

Inasmuch as the loading paltforms of the sheds or stations B and C aredisposed at a suiiiciently high elevation to permit the cars forming theramp to pass in under the same, it becomes necessary to raise the rearends of the driving cars 4 and 1 up to platform level so that a gentleslope will be formed at each end of the ramp to permit ready transfer offreight across the ramp by power operated trucks, hand trucks or thelike. To accomplish this, a pit 23 is formed at the outer end of eachtunnel, and arranged in each pit are a pair of jacks generally indicatedat 24. The construction and operation of the jacks is best illustratedin Figs. 5 to 7, and reference will now be made thereto. In Fig. 5, 24indicates the housing of the jacks. This housing has a rounded base 25resting on a base plate 26, said base plate being provided with a knob2l to permit a `slight `tilting movement of the jack housing and at thesame time retain it against displacement. Secured within the housing areend thrust plates 28, and journaled between them is a worm gear 29 whichis driven from a worm pinion 30. This pinion is secured on a shaft 3 I,and this shaft is driven from a motor 32. There is only one motor 32,but there are two drive shafts 3|, and two jacks are mounted in each pitto lift the ramp cars, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, but inasmuch as theconstruction of both jacks is identical, the description of one willsufce. Extending through the thrust or bearing plates 28 and the wormgear 29 is a jack plunger 33. The lower end thereof is externallythreaded as indicated at 34, and the worm gear is internally threadedand functions as a nut for raising and lowering the plunger. At the rearend of each of the driving cars are a pair of pads 35 (see Figs. 5 and7). These pads align with the upper ends of the jack plungers 33, andwhen power is transmitted through the motor 32 to operate the jacks, theplungers will raise and engage the pads and as such will lift the rearends of the driving cars or elevate them to the position shown in Fig.5.

In order to insure alignment between the pads 35 and the plungers of thejacks, it is essential that means be provided for stopping the cars whenthey have been fully extended, and also for preventing rebound afterextension. 'Ihis is accomplished, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, byproviding a channel-Shaped vertical guide on each side at the end of thetunnel, one flange of each guide, as indicated at 40, being slightlyshorter than the other so that the last-named flange may act as a stopmember and the shorter flange as a guide. At the rear end of each powerdriven car, and extending laterally therefrom, is a stop bar 4|, and atthe lower end of each channel guide is a rebound latch 42 pivoted as at43 and normally held in a raised position by a spring 44. When the carsare being extended, and as they approach a fully extended position, thestop bars 4I will engage the inclined faces 42a of the respectivelatches and will depress them, but the moment the stop bars ride over,the latches will automatically raise and prevent rebound of the cars.The stop bars will at the same time engage the longer flanges 40a on thechannel guides, and outward movement is thus stopped and rebound is atthe same time prevented.

Also pivoted to each channel guide as at 45 is a lever arm 46. Thesearms are engaged by the stop bars 4l and raised to the dotted-lineposition shown at 46a in Fig. 6 when the cars are extended, but theselevers will drop back into the full-line position when the rear ends ofthe driving cars are raised by means of the jacks. That is, `the momentthe stop bars engage the channel flanges 46a and the rebound latches 42have assumed normal position, the circuit through the motor 32 will beclosed simultaneously, as will be hereinafter explained, and both jackswill operate in unison when the proper control button is pressed, andthereby raise the rear ends of the driving cars, the proper alignmentbetween the plungers, the jacks and the pads 35 having already beeninsured. As the rear ends of the driving cars rise, the stop bars willmove upwardly between the flanges 46 and 43a, and these will function asguides, and as they pass upwardly beyond the edge of the levers 46,these will drop back into the full-line position shown in Fig. 6. Whenthe rear ends of the cars are later lowered, for in-V stance when theyare to be retracted, the stop bars will engage the upper surfaces of thelevers 46. These will in turn depress the latches 42 and the stop barscan thus pass freely over the latches 42 when the cars are to beretracted into the tunnels.

When a ramp section is being extended from the tunnel it is stopped, aspreviously stated, by the stop bars engaging the flangesl 40a of thevertically disposed guide channels. It is, however, necessary to breakthe circuit to the driving motors I0 a moment previous to suchengagement, as there would otherwise be danger of breaking the stopbarso-r the guideflanges. Hence, automatic switches are provided whichare actuated by the movement of the cars for breaking the circuitthrough the car motors at the proper moment or time interval. A handoperated interlocking switch is provided for closing the circuit throughthe motor 32 to start the raising movement of the jacks, but automaticswitches are provided for breaking the circuit through the motor 32 whenthe rear ends of the cars have been raised to platform level. Handoperated interlocking switches are provided for again energizing themotor 32 to lower the rear ends of the cars when they are to beretracted, and automatic means are provided for breaking the circuitthrough the motor 32 when the lowered position is reached. Hand operatedinterlocking switches are again provided for closing the circuitsthrough the motors l0 of the driving cars to retract them, and automaticswitches are provided for automatically breaking the circuits throughthe motors Il) when the cars are fully retracted.

It is also desired to point out the fact that the several switches andcircuits provided are interlocked so that proper sequence of operationmust be performed; that is, if ay wrong switch is closed, thatswitchwill be dead, and breakage or wrong operation of the mechanism isavoided. In the present instance there are only two motors to beoperated at each station; that is, the motor Il) on each section of theramps and the jack motor 32. There is one motor 32 in the pit arrangedat the outer end of each tunnel, and these jack motors, together withthe car motors I0, are operated from the station in which they arelocated. Thus each section of the rampl is inde# pendently operated, andeach section ofthe ramp can be retracted or extended independently ofthe other. Hence, the Vdescription of the operation of one section ofthe ramp will suice, as both sections are identically controlled andoperated.

In connection with the motors I0 and 32, there are six hand operatedpush-button switches, and these are indicated at 50, 5I, 52, 53, 54 and55 (see Fig. 9). In connection therewith, there are four automaticallyoperated limit switches, and these are indicated at 56, 51, 58 and 59.The automatically operated switch 56 is disposed at the side of thetunnel and adjacent the outer end thereof (see Fig. 5) and it isoperated by a lug 56ctv(see Figs. 2 and 8) mounted on the outer vend ofthe outermost car forming the ramp. When the cars are fully retracted,lug 56a engages a lever on the switch 56 and throws the switch: to breakthe circuit through the motor l0, thus stopping further retraction. Theswitch 59 is also disposed in one of the side walls ofthe tunnel andadjacent the outer end thereof. 'I'his switch has two functions. tobreak the circuit through the motor Ill when the ramp is fully extended.Its second function is to prepare a circuit for the jack motor 32.

On the rear end of the driving car is a rearwardly projecting arm 59a,and on the switch 59 is a V -shaped leverl 59h'. When the circuitthrough the motor l0 has been manually vclosed by operating the properpush-buttonswitch on panel 1G (see Fig. 5), and the cars are movingoutwardly through the tunnel, lever 59ctwill engage one of the arms vofthe switch 59 land throw it to the position shown in Figs, 5 and 9 tobreak the circuit throughy the motor I0. In breaking the circuit, itthrows switch 59 from one set of contacts to another, and as it leavesone set of contacts, it breaks the motor circuit i0, and as it engagesthe other set of contacts, it prepares a circuitthrough the jack motor32 which will be closed by the hand operated switch 5I. The switchindicated at 51 is located on the side of the jack housing and itisoperated by a finger 51a secured on the lower end of a rod 51h which issecured to the upper end of the jack plunger 33. When the jack plungeris being raised due to the circuit being closed through the motor 32,and when it reaches a substantially fully raised position, the ngeri'iawill engage the lever of the switch 51 and will throw it to openposition, thereby breaking the circuit through the jack motor when thejack has fully elevated the rear end of the driving car. The switchindicated at 58 is also located on the side of the jack housing (seeFig. 5). Its function is automatically to break the circuit through thejack motor when the jack is lowering the rear end of the driving car orat the time when it vreaches a fully lowered position, and it serves asecond -function, to wit, that of preparing a circuit for the motor l0when Its first function is thevmotor is to be energized for theYpurposefof retractingthe cars. The switch 58 is operated bythe rod 51h,as this rod hasa second linger iridicated at 51e which engagesv thelever of the switch 58 when Ythe jack is fully lowered, throw-l ing saidswitch to a position where it breaks the jack motor circuit. In thisposition it prepares the circuit through the motor I0, said circuitbeing completed by operation of the hand control switch 50. In actualoperation, and referring'to the wiring diagramin Fig. 9, it may bestated that the switches are shown-in aposition which they will assumewhen the cars forming the ramp have been extended. In this position itis possible againto retract the cars or to energize the jjack motorcircuit to raise the inner end of thedriving car up to platform level.If it is desired to raise the ramp end up to platform level, the handoperated switch 5I is depressed. This closes the circuit through avrelay vswitch generally indi` cated at 60, and this in turn closes thecircuit through the motor 32. When this circuit'is closed, the screwjacks will commence toraise the rear endsof the ramps, and when they arefullyraised, the circuit will be automatically brokenby the switch 51when the finger 51a engages the lever of the switch 51 and breaks themotor circuit. The ramp is now ready for use, and it will remain in thisposition until the motor 32 is again energized to lower the jacks andthe rear ends of the ramps.

If it is now desired to lower the ramp, itis accomplished by pressingthe hand operated switch 55.4 This energizes the relay 6l and this inturn reverses and closes the circuit through the jack motor 32, therebycausing the jacks to lower the inner end of the ramp, and when the jacksapproach the lowered position, finger 51e will engage the levertof theswitch 58 and thereby break the circuit through the motor 32 andat thesame time prepare a circuit through the contacts 58d for the motor IU.

To retract the cars it is now only necessary to depress the handoperated switch 5D. In so doing the relay 62 is energized. This in turncloses the circuit already prepared for the motor Ill, and the motorthus becomes energized and the cars are retracted, and when fullyretracted, lug 56a engages the lever of the switch 56 and breaks thecircuit. The switches 52 and 53 are merely emergency stop switches. Bydepressing the switch 52 itbreaks'th'e circuit of either the relays 62or 63, thereby breaking the circuit through the ramp motor 10. Bydepressing the switch 53 the circuit through the relays 69 and 6I isbroken, and hence the circuit through the -jack motor 32.

When the ramp is fully retracted, and if'it is desired to extend it, itis only necessary to dee press the hand operated switch 54.This'e'ne'rgizes the relay 63, and` this in turn energizes'the motor I9,and when the ramp section reachesits extended position, arm 590. in therear end of the ramp engages the lever of theswitch 59, throw# ing it tothe position shown in Fig. 9 where' it breaks the motor circuit i9 andfat the same time prepares a circuit for the jack motor 32. Thus al1operations are hand controlled, but they must take place in sequence, asthe automatically operated switches break the circuits established bythe hand operated switches. If mistakes are made by depressing `thewrong switch, that switch will be dead and no breakage or wreckage ofthe lmechanism is possible, due to the interlocking arrangement of allswitches and relays.

The hand operated switches are located on a panel 10 (see Fig. 5) whichis withiny convenient reach of the men working on the platform of astation. All of the automatic switches are located in the tunnel or inthe pit below the freighthandling platform and cannot be tampered with.Furthermore, these switches are automatic in opn eration and areactuated by the several movements imparted to the ramp. Each ramp isindependently operated and controlled from its station, and it is thuspossible for the operators on each side of the trackway to extend theramps in unison and to retract them in unison or independently of eachother.

rThe main trackway may have several pairs of tracks thereon, forinstance six or more. If freight is being transferred from one stationto the other across the trackway and a train is approaching on one sideof the trackway, it will only be necessary to retract one ramp, and whenthe train has passed, it can be extended again. If a train happens tocome on the center track, it will only be necessary to retract bothramps partially.

While these and other features ofthe present invention have been more orless specifically described and illustrated, we Wish it understood thatvarious changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaims, and that the materials and finish of the several parts employedmay be such as the judgment and experience of the manufacturer maydictate or other conditions may demand.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under one `of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel, a portable ramp disposedon the transfer track to permit transfer of freight from one stationplatform to the other, and means for retracting the ramp into the tunnelto clear the railroad track. Y

2. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel, a portable ramp disposedon the transfer track to permit transfer of freight from one stationplatform to the other, means for raising the opposite ends of the rampup to platform level, and means for retracting the rampv into the tunnelto clear the railroad track.

3. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across therailroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into twosections and normally disposed on the transfer track within therespective tunnels, and power operated means for extending or retractingthe ramp sections with relation to the respective tunnels independentlyof each other.

4. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across therailroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into twosections, and normally disposed on the transfer track Within therespective tunnels, power operated means for extending or retracting theramp sections with relation to the respective tunnels independently ofeach other, and power operated means for raising the ends of the rampsections when extended, up to platform level.

`5. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across therailroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp disposed on thetransfer track to permit transfer of freight from one station platformto the other, said ramp being divided into two sections, and means forretracting each section intothe respective tunnels.

6. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under each platform, a transfer track extending across therailroad track and into each tunnel, a portable ramp divided into twosections and normally disposed on the transfer track within therespective tunnels, means for extending the ramp sections to form acontinuous transfer ramp between the station platforms, and means forraising the ends of the ramp adjacent the platforms up toplatform level.

7. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of connectedplatform cars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp wherebyfreight is transferred across the railroad track from one station to theother, power operated means on one of the cars for retracting orextending the cars With relation to the tunnel, and means for positivelybringing the cars to a stop when the cars are fully extended.

8. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formedunder one of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel a plurality of connectedplatform cars supportedon the transfer track to form a ramp wherebyfreight is transferredacross the railroad track from one station to theother, power operated means on one of the'cars for retracting orextending the cars with relation to the tunnel, means for positivelybringing the cars to a stop when the cars are fully extended, a jackdisposed in a pit at the mouth of the tunnel, pads on the car disposedabove the jack, said stop means aligning the pads and jack, and poweroperated means for raising the jack and one end of the car to platformlevel.

9. In a retractable ramp of the character described, the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed under one of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of platformcars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight istransferred across the railroad track from one station to the other, anelectric motor on the innermost car to drive the cars into and out ofthe tunnel, ay manually controlled switch to close a circuit through themotor to drive the cars out of the tunnel to assume a position orosswiseof the railroad track, a switch actuated by movement of the cars toextended position for breaking the motor circuit when the cars areextended, and other means for bringing the cars to a positive stop whenfully extended.

10. In a retractable ramp of the character described the combinationwith a railroad track and a station platform at each side thereof, of atunnel formed undel` one of the platforms, a transfer track extendingacross the railroad track and into the tunnel, a plurality of platformcars supported on the transfer track to form a ramp whereby freight istransferred across the railroad track from one station to the other, anelectric motor on the innermost car to drive the cars into and out ofthe tunnel, a manually controlled switch to close a circuit through themotor to drive the cars out of the tunnel to assume a position crosswiseof the railroad track, arswitch actuated by movement of the cars toextended position for breaking the motor circuit when the cars areextended, a vertical guide on each side of the tunnel, a stop bar on theinnermost car engageable with said guides to bring the cars to apositive stop when fully extended, a pad on the rear end of theinnermost car, a jack disposed in a pit at the outer end of 'the tunnel,said jack aligning with the pad when the stop bar engages the verticalguide, an electric motor for operating the jack, a second manuallycontrolled switch to close a circuit' through the jack motor to causethe jack to raise` the rear end of the innermost car to platform level,and a switch operated by the rising movement of the jack for breakingthe circuit through the jack motor when the raising operation iscompleted.

WALTER ERIC CHRISTIE. OTTO SCHROEDER.

